Toffee Pudding with Pears
I make this on-demand! It’s my Dads favourite and why wouldn’t it be! If you’re a butterscotch pudding lover then this one is for you!!
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
Pudding
225g (8oz) chopped dates (make sure the stones are removed)
300ml (10fl oz/1 1/4 cups) tea
110g (4oz/1 stick) unsalted butter
75g (3oz/scant 1/2 cup) Muscovado sugar
3 eggs
225g (8oz/scant 1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bread soda (bicarbonate of soda or baking soda)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Espresso coffee powder
2-3 ripe juicy pears depending on size
freshly squeezed lemon juice of 1 lemon
A little caster sugar
Butterscotch Sauce
110g (4oz/1 stick) butter
175g (6oz/3/4 cup) dark soft brown, Muscovado sugar
225ml (8fl oz/1 cup) cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
You will also need individual a 20.5cm (8 inch) springform tin with removable base. A heavy cake tin will do but it works much better with a springform tin.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
Soak the chopped dates in hot tea for 15 minutes.
Line the muffin tin with bun papers, or line the bottom and sides of the cake tin with
parchment paper.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a
time, and then fold in the sieved flour.
Add the sieved bread soda, vanilla extract and coffee to the dates and tea and stir this into the mixture. Turn into the lined tin or divide between 1-1 1/2 hours or until a skewer comes out clean.
To make the sauce:
Put the butter and sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and melt gently on low heat.
Simmer for about 5 minutes, remove from the heat and gradually stir in the cream and the vanilla extract. Put back on the heat and stir for 2 or 3 minutes until the sauce is silky smooth in texture.
Just before serving the warm butterscotch pudding, peel and slice the pears.
Serve the pudding with a few slices of pear drizzled with butterscotch sauce and a fine dollop of softly whipped cream.
Enjoy!
